Things That Rhyme
by TheNonsensicalRhymer
Summary: This is a story of Jonathan Crane. He has a patient who he thinks is insane. In her life she may have had a lot of pain, and someone's been messing with drugs in her veins. On the outside she may seem plain, but many uncrazy smart things go through her brain.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own Batman or any of the characters…Except my own. This is my first Fanfic so cut me a little bit of slack. I do enjoy constructive criticism though. Okay well, enjoy my story!

**Chapter One**

It had been days, weeks, maybe even months. She had been there for God knows how long. She had plenty of time to think in her small space. Time to think but barely anything to think about. She could hardly remember anything from being alive and free in the real world.

Her past was but a ghost to her, and when she concentrated on remembering it slipped away. She couldn't remember anything past her high school years. She hadn't gotten around to college right after high school and after she graduated her life was forgotten. It was what she called her 'Murky Years.'

There were bits and pieces mixed in that she vaguely remembered. She knew she had a friend who she used to spend much of her time with. She also knew that this friend happened to work at a nightclub. When she went her friend introduced her to a man. This was no ordinary man. No, this was the man who created her fogginess.

He had offered her a drink which she had accepted in her innocent youth. She had started to feel strange but at the same time had an urge to keep drinking. Soon she found herself forgetting everything and letting the days slip by. Although she forgot so many things, she never forgot the man.

_Each day was a blur. It all went by so fast: the excitement never left-nor the lightness. On her worst days she wondered if there was something better. Something more than what she had come to. Soon after these thoughts however she would float back to her state of bliss with no worries at all. _

_There was a certain thought always threatening to take control of her mind however-the thought of the man. He was the cause of her life becoming this, which she knew. She couldn't picture his face or his name. She knew he was dangerous but it didn't occur to her in her state. _

_One fateful day after she had showered she took a random glance in the mirror. When she felt unsure of her life she made a list of things she knew to keep herself as pinned to reality as possible. _

_First, she knew her name was Adelaide Marlow. She was always called Addie by her close friends. Her parents had died in a car crash when she was 14, and she had no one to live for. She had brooding green eyes and shoulder length chestnut hair. Her skin tone was fair and she hardly ever blushed. _

_She had a slightly sarcastic personality and was eccentric and outgoing. She had a diamond stud in her nose-she wasn't entirely sure when or how that got there. She also had a small tattoo of an infinity sign across her wrist. She had been an outcast in high school with few friends-after that she had made three close friends. _

_She was currently twenty years old and had nothing meaningful to her. As she thought of all these things with a melancholic air she brushed a strand of hair out of her face. When she did she noticed something. _

_A bruise covered her forearm. Her brow furrowed as she inspected it. She slowly raked the rest of her skin. To her extreme surprise her entire body was covered with bruises and cuts. She screamed and ran out of the bathroom. As she turned a corner she bumped into a cop-he didn't look happy._

"_Are you Adelaide Marlow?" His voice rumbled into the quietness of the apartment._

"_Yes." Addie squeaked._

"_I'm afraid I'm going to have to take you away. Your boyfriend called and told me about your 'leisurely activities.' Needless to say, something has to be done with you."_

"_Please…Please don't take me to jail. I don't know what I did. Please." Her voice was thick with tears. _

_The thought that the man had said boyfriend went straight through her mind. Addie hardly acknowledged it. She didn't know what she did wrong. She didn't know what activities this man was referring to. She didn't know any of it. _

_That was when she realized. She must have been drugged by the man. He must have put it into her system every time she ate or drank. He must have been the one who abused her like this. Meanwhile the policeman's expression had softened._

"_I'm not taking you to jail Miss. I'm taking you to a special place. We can help you there."_

_Addie could only nod. She didn't know what to do or say. He escorted her to his car and drove her to an unknown place. She looked up and realized it was an asylum. Panic ripped at her heart. _

_She had thought maybe he had meant a rehab center or a type of therapy at least. She wasn't crazy. She may have been unsure of many things, but she was certain of this. She didn't need an asylum._

"_Why are we here? Is this just a stop?" She pondered aloud._

"_This is your new home, Adelaide." The officer replied coldly. _

"_No…There's been a mistake, sir. I'm not crazy. I didn't do any of it." Addie stated hysterically. _

_The officer stopped the car and got out. He opened her door and extended his hand to help her out. Addie shrunk against the opposite door sobbing. She refused to go there. They couldn't make her. She was normal. _

_The officer grimaced and reached across. Addie screamed but he just yanked her out and shut the door. He ignored her pleas for help and forced her inside. Addie tried to make a break for it, but she was soon knocked out cold and found herself in a small room when she woke up. _

_She couldn't get out. Her small hope that had stayed lit inside of her diminished and she let herself get lost in time. _

A nurse walked into Addie's room waking her from her memories. She glanced cautiously at the tray that the woman set down on the table. It consisted of a sandwich and slices of apple. The woman glanced at her as she started toward the door.

"Wait!" Addie called. The woman stopped and pivoted on her heel.

"Yes dear?" She smiled at Addie.

"What's the date?"

"Why, it's the seventh of June."

"Thank you." Addie replied.

The nurse proceeded to the door and let herself out. How easy it was for her to be free and go out to the real world. Addie was just stuck like a bird in a cage while these people could all just roam free and do as they pleased.

She was left alone to mull over the date. It had been two weeks since the day the cop had appeared in her home. She could only assume that the man plotted against her to get her caught for something she did in her haze.

The doctors had told Addie that drugs were in her veins which confirmed her belief that the man had indeed drugged her. When they had worn off in the first week every ache, bruise, and cut burned her body making the pain unbearable. She waited it out and her body started the slow process of healing.

A kind man had listened to her story and stated it plausible the day before. She was to be moved to a new place today that was larger and for less mentally affected people. Addie lay down on her hard bed and thought hard about past events more.

She awoke hours later when the door to her room opened. She had drifted into a restless sleep after she had thought for so long. She gazed in the direction of the door and the nurse from before stepped in.

"Addie honey, it's time to move to your new room." The old lady smiled serenely at Addie causing her to tentatively smile back.

Addie was escorted down the stairs to a door that no doubt led to her new room. She entered and noticed that it was indeed larger, and much more hospitable. She breathed a sigh of relief-she would no longer feel as strongly about being caged up like a bird.

The room was still small but large enough for her to do activities comfortably. There was a fluffier bed with white sheets, a white recliner, a table, and a shelf of books most likely chosen by psychiatrists so patients wouldn't go off the edge reading them.

Addie's favorite feature was the window. It showed the deep blue sky, the sun, and the people who roamed freely below. She loved to be able to be part of the world in her own way again.

The nurse left and let Addie have more time to herself. As she still felt slightly groggy and tired from her sleep, she settled into her fluffy new bed and fell into a more dreamless sleep.

The sunlight from the window woke Addie up. She couldn't even think of the last time she had felt warm sunlight on her face. For the first time since she had gotten here, she felt alive and grateful.

Seeing as she was bored and had a long day ahead of her, Addie wandered to the bookshelf in search of a suitable book. As she scanned the shelf her eyes zeroed in on one-The Great Gatsby.

Her parents used to read it all the time to her and she ran her finger over the spine. Addie decisively pulled the book out and settled in front of the window with the sunshine shining down on her head.

She got sucked into the reading and escaped to a whole different world. A world of the 1920's with wonderful dresses, mysterious rich men, and dark secrets. It was no later than noon when she set down the book needing a break.

Unsure of what to do with her time, Addie stared up at the ceiling and pictured herself in the 1920's. How strange it would be to be able to go to parties and do the things she wished to do.

A new nurse came into Addie's room as she was fantasizing these things and set down a tray. Today it was a salad with thousand island dressing drizzled on top. It had chopped up almonds also for protein purposes.

Although she still hated it here it seemed to be turning upward. Her brain was now completely unaffected by the drugs and her body was healing fairly well-the pain was quite bearable now.

As she chewed her salad an idea formed in her head. All of a sudden she had a plan to get out of here-get out of the god awful place and start a real life. Perhaps she could even go to college and pursue a dream she could find.

It was a simple plan, really. The problem was it would take time. She had time to spare to be honest, so it was worth a shot. All she had to do was pretend her brain was slowly repairing. Then they would have to let her out for sure.

A sudden thought interrupted her intense planning-aside from being moved to a new room, today was also her first meeting with her doctor. Addie frowned. She wasn't looking forward to it at all. She didn't even know what time it was or how long she had until.

As she tried to guess how long it had been the door opened again. It was her original nurse.

"Addie? It's time for you appointment" She said smiling.

Addie frowned. That was too perfect of timing for her liking. Could the nurses read her mind or something?

She got up and followed the nurse out the door. She entered a small room with a table and two chairs in the middle. She sat down in one of the chairs and waited. Her eyes scanned the room. There were no other furnishings, and the room was all white. It made her dizzy.

It had probably been ten minutes, and Addie had let her mind drift again. She was now thinking of what other books could possibly be on the bookshelf in her room. She thought about the other objects in her room, and thought of her bed. She was so tired.

A voice cut into her thoughts.

"Adelaide?" A beautiful, smooth voice came from behind her. Addie turned only to come face to face with a handsome man. Her heart stopped and plummeted to her stomach.

"I'm your doctor." The man stated. "My name is Doctor Jonathan Crane."


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own any Batman characters. I only own the ones I create. I was like half asleep in school whilst writing part of this and the other part while I ate candy, so if half has a tiring energy and the other half is upbeat…You know why. Sorry for the delay, for anyone who reads this. I got caught up in school and sports, but I eventually found time to write. So, without further ado, here is my story.

**Chapter Two**

Addie was stunned by his gaze. She stared, blinking at him as though she was trying to contemplate whether she was awake or not. After all, sleep and consciousness blurred together these days for her. Only a thin line separated them, and now she was starting to lose her grip on it. Crane cleared his throat obviously expecting Addie to respond.

"Oh!" Addie squeaked. "I'm Adelaide. People call me Addie. I guess you already know that. You just said my name, of course you know that. Um…" She was rambling. Addie hated rambling. It took too much time, too many seconds that could be used in for more important things.

Addie's eyebrows furrowed and she frowned deeply. Crane shifted in the place where he stood. He was obviously uncomfortable. Addie flushed-there was no doubt that it was now confirmed in his mind that she was crazy. Crane started to speak and there was an awkward edge to his voice.

"In your nurse's notes, it tells me when you came here you were…Well, let's just say not yourself, shall we? They also tell me you've been improving and have moved to a better ward. That's good-great, even seeing as improvement is what we want to see. Now if you have any concerns now would be the time to tell me."

Addie silently shook her head to indicate there was nothing, avoiding his gaze. She resumed staring at a certain part of the wall-far enough to not see his face, but close enough so he would know she was paying attention.

Crane stared at her with concern as he tried to figure out what she was thinking. It bothered him that she wouldn't look at him. Did she dislike him or something? He shrugged it off and resumed his speech.

"Well, I'm going to ask you questions now. It would help if you cooperate and respond, but if you truly can't answer it's fine. Please feel free to tell me if anything I say make you uncomfortable."

Addie remained silent, but she shifted her gaze to look him square in the eye. A shock went through Crane and he felt butterflies fly up into his stomach.

Her eyes were like a green ocean full of pain, broken promises, and memories. He could hardly stay afloat in her intense gaze.

Addie bit her lip and looked away. He had looked like he was mesmerized by her eyes, and had seemed as though he were fighting an internal conflict.

Crane shook his head to clear his thoughts. What was wrong with him? He was this girl's doctor, and she was a mere patient. He cleared his throat and started to question her while attempting to keep a relaxed and normal face.

"So, in the notes it doesn't explain anything about your past-or why you're in here. It doesn't tell me your story, Adelaide. Would you care to tell it?"

Addie took a deep breath and looked down. She told him her story. She told him about all those dark days and her final realization that something was wrong. She sometimes took pauses to take deep breaths, but he patiently waited for the rest.

The only thing she decided to leave out was the man. She knew it was an important detail-crucial even, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him. What would he think of her? He would most likely find her stupid at best.

Throughout her story she would glance up at him. He remained in the same position hunched back in his chair, staring off into space. She wondered if he was ignoring her, or if he was just absorbing the information like a sponge.

When she was finished, her breathing was slightly uneven and her face was contorted into sadness. She knew how much she had messed up. She wished she could take it all back and just be normal again.

Crane was practically shaking with rage. She had obviously left something out-after all, she hadn't started the drugs herself. She also hadn't gotten the injuries herself. There was a missing piece of the puzzle here. He vowed he would find it-and when he found who did it, he would hunt them down and make them pay.

He straightened out his face to a serene, kind, and understanding mask which he has practiced many times. He looked at her gently and thought about what a hard life she had had before this.

"That sounds…difficult. If you can't continue the questioning, I'll completely understand. Perhaps a break would help? After all, that was a lot to talk about at one time. But if you're fine to go on, we can do that too." Crane said in a gentle voice.

"No, it's fine. I can continue. It's not much, really. After all I didn't even know anything that was happening during that time so how could I know if it was painful or not? I'll be okay." Addie replied. She tried her hardest to put on her face of steel. She was determined to endure all the questions.

Crane gazed at her with doubt in his face. He knew she was just trying to be sturdy and get through this. Admittedly, she was a strong-willed person but he knew how hard it must be for her. Sighing, he resumed questioning.

"This question is very important. It doesn't say here why you're here. Do you know? Honestly, I think you should be in rehab, but if you were sent here there's a reason."

"Honestly, I don't know why I'm here. I don't belong here, I swear. I'm not crazy-ha that's probably what they all say. I realize how this all looks, but I'm sure that I'm just as sane as you are." Addie said her voice full of emotion.

Crane snorted. She obviously didn't know his extracurricular activities, but really, did she truly find him sane? He was anything but. If she knew any of the things he did, she would take it back without a doubt. Anything that he did as Scarecrow…He paled and forced himself to talk.

"Well, I'm afraid I have no comment towards that. I don't know the whole story. I believe you however-but for now you have to stay here." Crane sighed.

Crane hated having to hold people against their will. He could sense she was telling the truth, but he couldn't just send her away. After all, she had indeed been sent here for a reason, and he wasn't about to ignore it.

Addie felt so close to breaking. There was no one to believe in her anymore. She couldn't even lose herself in drugs, which was something she would never dream of doing in her past. It showed that she was losing touch with the person she was.

Crane stared at Addie, and he felt the pain and confusion emanating off of her. He wanted to help her, even though he knew it was impossible. He wanted to kiss away her pain, to hold her close-to let her know someone cared.

Crane shook his head vigorously. What in the world was he thinking? He certainly shouldn't be thinking that of a patient.

Addie took a shy glance at Crane. He looked lost in thought and seemed to be in an internal battle again. She wanted to know what he was thinking.

As they both stayed deep in their own thoughts, Crane's phone rang out into the quiet little room making them both jump.

He took it out of his pocket and examined the front of it. It stated that he had a new text message from unavailable. Frowning, he opened it and gazed down at the small words that were formed on the screen.

**Meet me outside of your Asylum in five minutes. Be there with your…Costume, we'll say. Don't be late. –N**

Crane jumped to his feet and looked at Addie.

"I must be going, now. An important business call, I'm afraid. I'll meet with you again next week at the same time. Your nurse will escort you back to your room. For now please wait here for her, and I do hope you have a good day."

With that, he swept out of the room taking extra care that the door was locked. He didn't want Addie to get out. He wanted to make sure she stayed safe-he feared that in her current state she may feel the need to inflict harm on herself.

Addie watched Crane sweep out of the room and felt a slight depression settle around her. She had liked his company very much-she hated being so alone every second of every day. She wished she had someone to just talk to.

When Addie was younger, she had a friend named Julianne. She had been a soft-spoken child who listened very well. Addie had confided to her all of her secrets, and the weight on her chest grew a little lighter each time she told one.

She only wished she could do that now. Although it would make less of a difference now as her problems were so much worse, it would help a little bit. And a little bit was all Addie really needed to keep it together for a longer period of time.

Just as Addie was thinking this, her nurse popped her head into the room.

"Hello dear. Doctor Crane just informed me your meeting is finished. I came to take you to your room." She beamed at Addie.

Addie couldn't help but grin back. She followed her nurse out of the room. She had been in that room longer than she had calculated, seeing as her legs were slightly wobbly as she walked.

"So, did your meeting go well?" Her nurse asked, trying to keep easy conversation going.

"Oh, yes. We talked a lot, and it really helped clear my head." Addie lied.

It had done anything but. Her head was so muddled; it was difficult to even keep up with this conversation.

"That's good dear. You take care, now. We'll send up dinner in about an hour. If you feel up to it, you could shower today, and get a fresh new set of clothes." Addie noticed her nurse had dimples when she smiled.

Addie nodded and sat on her bed. A shower sounded incredible. However she still had a good hour to kill. She tried to lie down in her bed and close her eyes for a spell, but her mind wouldn't let her relax.

Addie decided to finish off The Great Gatsby. It felt as though she hadn't been reading for five minutes when her nurse entered with her dinner.

Tonight was pizza. It was plain cheese, but eating such a normal meal made Addie flood with relief. She finished off her pizza in two minutes flat with relish. Her nurse smiled to see her eat so fast-it was a good sign.

The nurse took the plate and left to put it away. She went back to Addie's room immediately after however.

"How about that shower now, dear?" She asked sweetly.

"That really sounds great." Addie replied.

Addie looked around the halls as her nurse led her to a private bathroom. They stopped at the first one and unlocked it.

"I'll be out here if you need anything. There's all the supplies you would need in there, so don't hesitate to use it all."

"Thank you so much!" Addie said as she stepped into the room.

She glanced around her. It was a decent enough room, painted with bright and cheery colors. There was a small mirror on the wall, a towel rack, a cabinet, and a large shower. Addie turned on the shower and started to strip down.

She jumped into the shower and felt the warm pellets hit her back. Addie examined the shampoos and chose one that stated that it was fruit flavored. She lathered it into her hair and started to rinse it out.

Her mind drifted to many different things, but she didn't dwell on anything too long. She was much too relaxed to let anything make her think deeply.

She closed her eyes and just let the water hit her. She felt all of her pain and memories slide off of her with the water, down into the drain. She even found herself humming tunelessly. All too soon, the water started to get cold.

Her memories came back to her and her pain came back as well nearly knocking the wind out of her. She slammed the water off and sat taking deep, calming breaths.

After a while she got up and walked to the mirror. Her eyes were bloodshot and there were bags underneath them. The bruises along her body were healing and the cuts were fading. Some seemed to have a look about them that suggested they were scarring.

She looked down at the sink and noticed a new pair of underwear and pajamas waiting for her. She slid it on and combed her hair out. It was a painstaking process and it took most of her concentration, so she was glad of it.

When she came out, she noticed her nurse waiting for her. She seemed to understand without words that the shower had helped, and just headed down the hall trusting Addie to follow.

"Goodnight, dear." She said softly to Addie when they were back in her room.

"Goodnight." Addie replied.

The door shut quietly and Addie headed to her bed. The sheets were changed as well, so Addie gladly snuggled under the covers.

With no promise of a good rest, Addie closed her eyes and prepared for the sleep ahead of her.

Did you guys like it? I'll admit I was having a bit of writers block, but I got the hang of my usual flow soon enough. I was listening to some good Mumford & Sons while writing this, too. I love that band. I've already started the third chapter so it won't take too long to update. Please keep reading my story, and please review if you like it. Or if you don't like it and think I can fix stuff. Thanks!


	3. Chapter 3

Hello! Oh my goodness, I am so terribly sorry to each and every person who bothers to read this story. My laptop just gave up on me, and it took a terribly long time to fix it. It's up and running again however, so I'll be sure to update every week. Now back to Addie and Jonathan. It's been too long since we visited their growing relationship!

**Chapter Three**

It was dark in the room. Addie couldn't see a single thing. She glanced nervously around and took a tentative step forward. All she could hear was the echo of her footsteps as she walked through the hall.

Addie squinted attempting to see the environment around her. All she could make out were various shapes along what she could only assume was the wall. She felt that the right thing to do was to continue forward, so she did.

At the end of the hall was a blinding light-Addie picked up speed and started towards it. In mere seconds she had reached it, and all of a sudden she was whirling through empty space. Addie squeezed her eyes shut and prayed that she would touch the ground soon. She had a horrible twisting feeling in her stomach as she floated upward.

As she came to a stop, Addie opened her eyes only to see the beautiful sky above her. It was a picture perfect scene-a light blue sky, sprawling white clouds, waving green grass. She walked forward and felt the refreshing breeze blow across her face.

She closed her eyes to savor the moment only to find herself falling down, down, down. She felt her body come into contact with the ground and the little breath she had was knocked out of her.

Unable to steel herself against her emotions, Addie's face crinkled up and a tear slid down her cheek. She had practically tasted the freedom on the crisp, beautiful air. She had never felt such sour disappointment in all of her life.

She slid to the ground and frowned up at the ceiling. All the pain that had been trapped inside of her was released as tears feel down her cheeks.

In the darkness Addie saw sudden movement out of the corner of her eye. She froze and tilted her ear to catch any noise or movement. There was a shuffling beside her and she felt her heart drop into her stomach.

Blinding light suddenly pierced her eyes as the room was filled with it. Addie looked around and waited for her sight to adjust. As she blinked she could finally see the room she was in.

It was a long dark hall with various sculptures and paintings along the walls and bright lights on the ceiling enlightening the hall eerily. Addie looked to her left and she saw…Him. She let out a squeak of sheer terror and tried to scoot away.

"Hello, Addie. Long time no see…Hmm?" Her name was like poison in his mouth as he spat it down towards her.

"Why…How are you here?" Addie asked her voice quivering.

"Well…Hmm let's think…Oh yeah! I tracked you here. Of course you'd be in a mental hospital. Because you're _crazy." _He said with a menacing smile.

"No…I'm not!" Addie forced out as loudly as she could. "You're the crazy one!"

His smile disappeared as quickly as it came. He loped towards her his face contorted with rage.

"You're going to regret saying that. I swear you will." His face twisted up in a sick smile as he stepped down on her arm. "You're going to pay for lying, Addie."

Addie screamed and closed her eyes. As she blacked out she saw a man with a mask…Scarecrow, the man she had seen on her newspaper before she had been taken away. This time she recognized those beautiful eyes. Before she could figure out from where, she was gone.

Addie felt herself being shaken awake and a voice she knew floated down to her, cushioning her with the feeling of familiarity.

"Addie! Dear, wake up! You were having a nightmare. It was just a nightmare. Take deep breaths. In, out. That's right. Just keep doing that. It'll be okay."

Addie felt her nurse's cool touch as she took deep breaths. She smiled up at her to show her that she was doing better now.

"You were screaming. It was terrible. I phoned Doctor Crane…I didn't know what else to do. He assured me he'd be here in no time." Addie's nurse said in a rush.

Addie sighed audibly. Of course Doctor Crane had to know all of her craziness. He was probably terribly annoyed to be woken up in the middle of the night because one of his patients having a meaningless nightmare.

"I'll go get you some water, dear. Meanwhile you just calm yourself down and wait for your Doctor."

As her nurse shut the door, Addie flopped down on the bed. She reflected back upon her dream. She remembered Him, but she still couldn't remember his face. She also couldn't remember the last thing she saw. She knew it held much significance, but the more she tried to remember the more she forgot.

As Addie found herself on the brink of unconsciousness, she didn't even notice when her nurse entered the room and left again. She heard the door open what seemed like a million miles away.

"Addie? Are you alright?" Crane's familiar voice floated over to her, laced with concern.

"I'm fine…" Addie muttered, flushing with embarrassment. "It was just a nightmare. It wasn't really anything bad."

"Well, I'm afraid in this place even small things that we would normally let slip are caught and prolonged. It's terribly at times I'm sure, but sometimes it can truly help." Crane smiled softly at Addie while he spoke. "Maybe you would like to tell your nightmare to me? I've heard around that if you tell someone about it, it softens the blow."

Addie smiled and launched into a step by step, detailed version of her dream-excluding Him, of course. At certain parts Crane's brow would furrow, or he would make a sound of acknowledgement.

Having told her entire dream again, Addie remembered the thing she had seen at the end. "I remember that last thing I saw before waking up was this man with a mask…the Scarecrow, I think. But there was something about him that I thought I recognized."

Crane stiffened beside her, his face immediately blanking of emotion. Addie noticed that he was clenching his jaw and wondered if she had said something bad.

Crane turned to Addie and smiled at her comfortingly. "As terrible of a dream as it sounded, I think you'll be fine. I..." Crane stopped in the middle of his sentence and his face seemed to burn with rage.

Addie frowned and she followed his gaze to where her shoulder was exposed-showing many scars and bruises trailing downward and disappearing from sight. She bit her lip and looked up at Crane just as he looked down at her.

"What is that?" he asked, his voice trembling with rage.

"Oh…Well that was from before I came to the hospital. It's nothing really, don't worry about it." Addie mumbled as she pulled the shirt back up over her shoulder.

Crane grabbed Addie's arm and pushed up her sleeve. This action caused the crosses of scars and bruises across her arm to come into sight.

"Addie. Did you do this?" Crane asked. He then noticed the various handprints where He had grabbed her too hard. "Who did this to you?"

Addie looked away, ashamed of herself for everything in her past. She closed her eyes to try to just make it all go away, but she felt the burning gaze of Crane and opened them again. Against her will tears started to rush down her cheeks. She hated this feeling. The feeling of weakness.

"Oh, Addie." Crane pulled her towards him and wrapped his arms around her. She put her head against his shirt and sobbed.

As Crane held Addie he searched the scars and bruises along her arm. He knew there must be more all along her. He felt the anger inside of him practically burning him alive. Who would do this to such a sweet girl?

"Doctor Crane?" Addie asked pulling her face away from his tear soaked shirt.

"Call me Jonathan, Addie." He said softly, looking carefully at her face.

"Jonathan…I don't really remember the man who did this to me." Crane bristled at the word man. So it must have been a past lover of hers. When he found out who did this, he would make sure they paid for what they had done.

"He's kind of foggy in my memory. All I know is I met him at a bar-he was my friend's friend. She introduced us. I remember carrying around a drink that night, but that's it. After that it's all blurry. All of it until the day I was taken here. I can remember that quite clearly. That's it though. I'm not even sure why I'm here."

"I'll look into it. Don't worry." Crane soothed. "I'm sure if you remember more I can get you a good enough report to get out of here. I don't doubt for a moment that you're not crazy. Nor that this man did all these things to you. I'll see you get out as soon as possible."

"Thank you. Thank you so much!" Addie beamed and hugged him.

Crane smiled down at her then gently pried her away. "Addie this is extremely important. Do you remember anything else about him? Anything at all?"

Addie frowned and delved deep into her mind. She started to tell Crane everything she possibly remembered about Him. She retold the last half of her dream as it had really happened and continued to think.

Crane listened to Addie's thoughts and felt such anger surge through him. He wanted to hurt this man for hurting Addie so badly. He knew what punishment the man would get for doing this to her-adding a little theatrics wouldn't hurt either.

He was certain Addie wasn't crazy, and he was clueless as to why she had ended up in his crazy hospital. He we going to get her out one way or another very soon, this he was sure of. He would work out the details later, but he knew that once he left Addie he would start to work on proof of her sanity.

Addie finished her recollections and looked up at Crane. He had a look of deep concentration on his face. She wondered what was going through his head. He really was quite handsome when she looked at him.

Crane snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Addie only to catch her staring at his face. She flushed and looked away. He smiled at her embarrassment then looked at the clock. It was nearly four in the morning-he had some work to do.

"Addie I must be going. I have some stuff I need to get working on. We'll continue having appointments every week, so make sure you remember things as much as you can. I'll bring you some things to keep you occupied during the day next week-your book collection is quite sad." He chuckled then got up to leave.

"Thank you doc-Jonathan. You really helped me. I'll try my hardest to remember everything. I look forward to seeing you next week." Addie smiled shyly at him causing his heart to beat much faster.

"Goodbye, Addie." There was an indescribable look on his face as he left and Addie was left to ponder what it meant.

Addie sighed and flopped back down on the bed, not sure whether she should go back to sleep or not. She looked up at the ceiling and smiled. She may not be certain of most things in her life but she was most certain about one thing-she was falling for Jonathan Crane.


	4. Chapter 4

Hello all of you lovely people! So this weekend was crazy busy for me, so I had no time to update. Fortunately, I found time now. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. This particular chapter is dedicated to Moonlight Willows who is really the reason why I kept writing this story. Just when I was about to give up on it, they swooped in and saved the day. Thanks so much! Also, thank you so much to every person who has reviewed, followed, or made my story a favorite-in fact, thank you to anyone who even bothered to click on this story and read it. The story hasn't been too terribly exciting, but I promise you all it's increasing in excitement. Oh, but you guys are going to hate me by the end of this chapter. Well, without further adieu, here is the next chapter!

**Chapter Four**

Crane woke up to a cool, hard surface pressed against his face. He looked around, his mind still hazy from his sleep. He attempted to rub the sleep out of his eyes when he abruptly went rigid.

He looked at the clock and cursed softly at the time. He was no more than three hours late to work. He had obviously overslept last night. He hadn't even meant to fall asleep, which meant he hadn't set his alarm.

When he really thought about it, it wasn't exactly a problem-he hadn't missed work a day in his life. He may as well use a sick day now. He sighed and picked up his cell phone, dialing the familiar number.

"Hello? Mr. Crane? Are you alright?"  
"Hello, Martha. To be quite honest I'm not doing so well today…Would you mind if I took the day off?"  
"Oh certainly! Don't be silly. You get better and come back tomorrow-or the day after. It doesn't matter. You're never sick anyway."

"Thanks. I'm certain I'll be in tomorrow. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Doctor."

The line went dead and Crane leaned back in his chair. His back cracked satisfactorily and he stood up cautiously. Blood immediately rushed to his head and his eyes went blind for a few seconds. Once he could see he headed down towards his kitchen.

He opened his refrigerator and was rifling around for food while letting his mind wander. His thoughts went over what he needed from the grocery store, to the weather outside (it was a stormy, gray day), until he finally rested on the subject of Addie.

He had started to research for her and hadn't stopped until he had passed out on his desk. It was then that he noticed his head was throbbing horribly-he could only guess it was from falling asleep as he did.

Crane shut the refrigerator, not bothering to choose which food to eat and headed back upstairs. He went to his bathroom where there was a medicine cabinet behind his mirror.

He was opening the ibuprofen and grabbing a pill when he had a sudden thought. If he could find out what kind of drug the man had slipped into Addie's drink, he could scour the area for dealers. Then, he could find the man this way.

Of course, there was the possibility that the man had ran away to a far off place to prevent himself from going to jail. It was most certainly what he deserved, but life was definitely not fair when it came to capturing criminals.

Speaking of capturing criminals, it was most likely not fair that he himself was walking the streets with a solid job and good house while non-criminal people were homeless, but again life wasn't fair.

He popped his ibuprofen into his mouth and washed it down with some water from the sink. As he casually walked by his desk he saw something that stopped him. How could he have not noticed something so blatantly obvious?

Crane smacked himself mentally as he moved closer to look at the picture more thoroughly. A sick smile twisted his features as he noticed the details in the background. This would be easier than he had thought.

Addie sat on her bed staring up at her ceiling. She felt as though she was deteriorating from the inside. She had been trapped here for so long, it seemed. She wondered why mental hospitals existed if they, in fact, made you even crazier.

_Not that I'm crazy_, Addie thought to herself, frowning. She really missed Jonathan. She knew it would be a few days before she would see him again, but that didn't stop her from thinking about him every other thought.

She wondered if he had worked on her alibi at all. She just wanted to get out of the hospital-she didn't belong here. Not at all. The sooner he cleared her up and let her go, the sooner she would be free again.

Maybe Jonathan would even say yes to a date if she was no longer in a crazy hospital. Addie flushed and frowned deeply. What would possess her to think that? And even more, what would possess her to believe he would ever say yes to such damaged goods?

She sighed. That's what she was now-damaged goods. Her mind had been messed with and now she was scarred for life. Literally and figuratively. Even if a man could get past her mind, he wouldn't be able to get past the scars that covered her body-and vice versa.

Addie closed her eyes and willed herself not to cry. It was stupid how one small mistake could have led her to here. She didn't understand why the universe would want her to be miserable like this.

All of a sudden, she felt dizzy. Her head started to throb horribly and she shut her eyes to block out the pain when she suddenly saw a flashback.

_Addie was sitting inside of the bathroom looking blankly down at the floor. There was blood. All she could see was the red staining the pearly bathroom tiles. Where could the blood be coming from?  
She looked down and saw that it was coming from her. Funny-she couldn't feel a single thing. She was completely numb. It was the only feeling she had nowadays._

_ In the back of her mind Addie thought that she should probably clean her wounds and bandage them. She attempted to get up and do so, but she couldn't function properly enough._

_ Addie heard a door slam open in what seemed the far distance, but then heard a loud voice very near her. _

_ "Addie if you don't get out here right now, God knows what I'm going to do to you!" His voice rang out. _

_ Addie stumbled out of the bathroom, and headed down the hall. She walked to where He was standing and stood there, trembling slightly._

_ He looked over and saw her arms and shirt, which were soaked in blood, and began to speak in a deep, threatening voice._

_ "Are you freaking kidding me Addie? What are you a child? Can't you tend to your own wounds? I put up with too much of this crap. I should just dump you out on the streets. Would you like that better? Huh? ANSWER ME!"_

_ He was shuddering with rage. He had obviously had "one too many" to drink, and was more ferocious than usual. Addie shook her head and looked down at the floor._

_ "Come here." He growled and pushed her down the hall and back into the bathroom. As He pulled various objects from a cabinet, she heard him furiously muttering to himself. Occasionally she heard snippets that involved the words 'pathetic' or 'stupid.'_

_ He came back towards her and began to violently scrub her arms. She bit her lip to stop herself from protesting and allowed the pain to settle into her skin. He didn't bother to bandage anything, just made sure the dried blood was gone from her arms._

_ "Go change your shirt. You look like a frickin' wreck."_

_ Addie went down to her supposed "bedroom." It was the size of a janitor's closet, and smelled awful. She pulled on one of the few shirts she had and threw the one she had previously been wearing onto the ground._

_ "Addie, when you're finished you get back out her. You hear?" He said with venom in his voice._

_ Addie shuffled quickly out of the room. He was holding a kitchen knife which she fixed her gaze on warily. He started to walk towards her with anger in his eyes. _

_ "I should kill you now. I never should have taken you. You're pathetic, you know that? And once I'm done with you, no one, and I mean no one, will EVER want to look at you again."_

_ He laughed and Addie looked up fearfully into his eyes. Suddenly, she could see him. She could really and truly see him. Every bump, every crevice, every single thing on his face. And she knew._

Addie opened her eyes and gasped aloud. She had seen him so vividly, almost as though she had been there again. She had felt the pain so strongly coursing through her.

Her nurse came into the room smiling and humming quietly to herself, when she saw Addie's face. Her smile immediately dropped and she looked at Addie cautiously.

"Addie, are you okay? What's wrong?"

"No. I'm not okay. I'm not okay, nurse. I need Doctor Crane."

Her nurse looked at her, fear apparent in her features.

"Now honey, it'll be okay. Doctor Crane's not here today. You're going to have to wait until tomorrow. Okay?"  
"NO, IT'S NOT OKAY! I NEED TO SEE HIM NOW!" Addie screamed out hysterically. Her breathing became rapid as she pictured His face grinning maliciously down at her.

Addie began to hyperventilate as she looked wildly around the room. Her nurse quickly took a sedative injection from her apron and started towards Addie. Addie saw it and started to sob.

"Please, please no. I'm begging you. I'll do anything. What did I do this time? I'll change it. I can change. Just please give me another chance!"

Addie was obviously not in the right state of mind. Her nurse quickly grabbed her arm and injected the sedative into her. Addie immediately slumped down, starting to fall asleep. She felt so much pain before she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

Addie's nurse quickly pulled out her phone and dialed Doctor Crane. The phone rang four times before he finally picked up.

"Hello?" He asked groggily.

"Hi, Doctor Crane. I'm sorry for calling you when you've taken the day off, but it's important."

"Yes, I could assume so. What is it?"

"It's Addie, sir."

Crane bolted up in his bed, completely awake. Addie had seemed fine when he had last seen her. What on earth could have happened?

"You see sir, I came into her room and she looked terrified. She then insisted on seeing you over and over again. Eventually she seemed to just lose it and I had to sedate her."

"I'm coming there right away. I just need to clean myself up a bit. Could you call me when she wakes up?"

"Of course, Doctor. I'll see you soon."

Crane didn't even bother to say goodbye as he hung up the phone. He rushed around, changing into a proper set of clothes, combing his hair, and grabbing his briefcase. He leapt down the stairs and out the door very shortly after.

At the hospital, Addie started to stir in her bed. The sedative hadn't been too strong and had only been meant to last about twenty minutes. She opened her eyes and His face flashed before her. She winced and sat up swiftly.

She noticed her nurse looking in from outside of the room and struggled to remember what had happened before she had abruptly gone to sleep. She couldn't bring herself to remember, so she smiled out at her.

Her nurse immediately smiled back, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Addie watched her pull out a cell phone and dial a number. She talked on the phone for a few minutes, then hung up with a worried look on her face.

She gave one more glance to Addie and rushed away from the door. Addie was left to trying to remember what had happened so recently. She closed her eyes and thought hard when it hit her.

She remembered her total meltdown, and how she had demanded to see Doctor Crane. As much as she needed to see him, she felt horrible for how she had treated her nurse.

She heard her door open and she looked up to see Doctor Crane looking slightly out of breath step into her room.

"Addie I rushed over here as quickly as I could. What seems to be the problem?"

"Jonathan?"

The hair on the back of Crane's neck lifted at the tone of Addie's voice and how she had said his name.

"Yes?"

Addie looked him straight in the eye and dropped a statement that stopped his heart.

"I know who did this to me."


	5. Chapter 5

Hiya! So I know that I left you guys with a total cliffhanger and just didn't update at all, but I was having a sort of writer's block. I know how I want my story to proceed, and how the events shall play out, but I wasn't too sure how to form my ideas into the words I wanted. I'll try my best to update every two weeks or so, but school (yuck!) is starting in a week. Which we all know that this will limit my time for writing a great deal. Like I said, I'll try! Okay, well here we go.

**Chapter Five**

"His name is Harry Johnson. I just…I all of a sudden had a memory of him, and I just kind of knew. Everything flooded back. I don't know how it happened…" Addie said, her voice timid.

Crane felt his heart plummet to his stomach. He knew who had been doing this to Addie as well, but her finding out herself and remembering was more likely to affect her mental state. He looked at her cautiously searching for any signs of serious distress from finding out herself.

He knew that she would obviously be distressed seeing as one of her worst memories had been remembered, but as a psychiatrist he knew how to observe all the levels.

Aside from the shock and unhappiness, she obviously felt relief. They would finally be able to find him and put him behind bars for good. Crane almost smiled at the thought but kept his face blank.

Addie was assessing Crane's reaction even as he was assessing her own. She could tell there was no surprise behind his frustration and worry. This made her wonder a great deal about how long he had known this fact.

Could he have possibly been waiting for her to remember herself? Was it a key to her sanity? She thought that he of all people would have understood her situation and that she was sane. She could feel herself deflate.

Crane watched as Addie discovered that he was not surprised in the least who it was. He watched her carefully and felt surprise despite himself when she seemed to slowly get sadder.

He realized it may have been because he hadn't seemed as surprised as she might have liked. Carefully, his eyes on her face, he took her chin in his hand and turned her face towards his.

Addie gasped quietly and looked up into his eyes. His expression was gentle and kind as he gazed down into hers.

He used his other hand to pull something out of his pocket, and he held it in front of Addie so she could evaluate it.

Addie gaped at the picture he held in front of her. It was Harry. She looked up at Crane then back down at the picture. Her mind was racing and she could practically feel the cogs in her brain turning as she scrambled to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

That was when she noticed something else. She was in the background of the picture gazing at the lens with no emotion on her face. Her eyes were slightly glazed over and she had a drink in her hand.

She looked at Crane questioningly and he put the picture down in front of her.

"This was on my desk. I don't know how I got it or where I got it from, but I never looked at it very closely. This morning however I happened to notice you in the corner there. I know this man-he used to work here. He left a few years ago, I'm not sure exactly how many…He said he had an offer far away that was much better than the job he had here. Now that I think of it he always seemed a bit off…"

Crane trailed off and looked at Addie. She looked petrified. All of a sudden she burst into tears and buried her face into her hands. Crane gazed at her, horrified, not sure what had set her off. He placed a tentative hand on her shoulder and gazed at her.

"Addie? Are you alright?" Crane smacked himself inwardly for being so stupid. Of course she wasn't alright. She was going through a traumatizing time. He decided to try to ask her another question. "Addie, why are you crying?"

Addie looked up at him and the sadness he could see in her eyes burned him to his very bones. To see such sadness and horror in such a lovely, young girl's eyes killed him.

"You said there was something off about him. He moved away a few years ago. How do we know that he hasn't done this to other girls? In fact, I'm positive he has. We don't know how many, though! How many girls have gone through the same hell that I have? And how many haven't gotten any help? How many haven't made it?"

Addie's eyes burned fiercely as she stated her thoughts in a rush. Crane looked at her, considering what she had just said, and pulled her close to him.

She sobbed into his shirt and hugged him closer. She didn't think of how embarrassing this was or that she was getting his shirt horribly wet, but she just let herself feel and let go her emotions.

A little while later Crane pulled away and brushed the hair from Addie's face. He looked tenderly at her causing her to blush and turn away. He stood up from where they sat and looked back down at her.

"I'll get them to release you today. I'll get it all sorted out. I also have to get some people started on the case seeing as we know who he is now. I'm sure he's changed his name and moved but I promise you I'll do everything in my power to find him." Crane said sincerely.

He stood to leave and stole a final glance at Addie before he left the room. She was left to ponder the day and to get herself mentally prepared for leaving. It had been so long it seemed since she had stepped outside. She couldn't help but feel excited.

As she reveled in the idea of tasting the fresh outdoors, realization hit her hard. She had nowhere to stay. She had no money. She had nothing. All of a sudden she wasn't as excited to leave. What would she do?

Exhaustion started to slip into Addie's system, so she curled up on the bed and shut her eyes. She was sleeping peacefully until what felt like five minutes later, she was being shaken awake by someone.

"Addie, wake up. You're leaving now."

Addie recognized Crane's soothing voice and sat up rubbing her eyes of sleep. Worry creased her brow.

"I don't actually have anywhere to stay, though. I don't have money either." Addie admitted sheepishly.

Crane just smiled sweetly at her.

"If it's okay with you, I was thinking you could stay with me. I mean I have a spare bedroom in my house, and I could provide you food and clothes."

Crane thought for a moment then frantically backtracked.

"I mean, if you don't want to do that its fine. In fact, I should have asked you first. Why didn't I think of that?"

Addie smiled, her eyes crinkling. She put a hand on his arm and he stopped his rambling.

"I love that idea. Thank you so much!"

Crane immediately relaxed and grinned down at her. Addie pulled him in for a hug and squeezed him slightly.

"You're so sweet." She whispered. She pulled away and stood up. She looked around the room she had been located in.

"Well, I don't necessarily have any luggage or things I need to gather. I think we're just good to go." Addie noted as her eyes wandered about.

Crane nodded mutely and grabbed her hand. Addie looked down in surprise, but he just looked forward straight faced.

"Let's go then." He stated and tugged her out of the door. Addie felt strange walking down the halls with such freedom, knowing she wasn't going to another therapy or a new room. Crane stopped at an information desk near the elevators where a young but tired looking woman sat.

"Hello Debra. I'm going to be leaving now, for the day. Don't forget to make sure Adelaide is removed from the systems." Crane said in a smooth voice.

"Certainly, Doctor. You have a good day now!" Debra replied in a flirtatious voice. Addie frowned at her, jealousy boiling in her, but Crane didn't seem to notice that Debra was flirting, and he just continued to tow Addie to the elevator.

They rode down to the main floor in silence, sneaking glances at each other occasionally. They stepped off the elevator and Addie looked out at the beautiful sky in awe. They walked to the doors and as they opened a rush of warm air hit Addie.

Tears came to her eyes. The beauty of it was too much to bear. She had dreamed of this moment for what seemed to be forever. She rushed out, letting go of Crane's hand in the process. She twirled around looking up at the sky and breathing in the fresh air.

Crane watched Addie bemusedly. She was so beautiful that it took his breath away. As she twirled about looking so gorgeous and innocent he vowed to himself that he would protect her in any way he possibly could.

Addie turned back to Crane with a look of bliss on her face. He lifted an eyebrow at her questioningly.

"Which one's your car?" She asked simply.

"It's over here. Come on." He started to walk towards his silver car. Addie trailed after him drinking in all of the wonders of outside.

Crane unlocked his car and opened the door for Addie. She beamed at him and slid into the passenger seat. He shut the door behind her and headed to the other side. After he made sure she was situated, he slid the key in the ignition and started the car.

It was a slightly long drive, so Addie was able to see many sights that filled her with longing to be able to visit them. When they finally stopped, they weren't at a house. They had arrived at a mall.

Addie looked at Crane and was about to ask why they were here when he spoke.

"I thought we could buy you some clothes, and other necessities. You don't need to worry about the price. Since you'll be staying with me, I'll be taking care of you."

"Thank you." Addie murmured. She wasn't used to this treatment at all. It hurt her heart to feel so loved.

They got out of the car and went inside of the mall. They spent at least six hours there as Addie tried various things on. Crane shyly sat outside and waited when she went into a store to buy new bras and underwear, but he otherwise came with her to put in his opinion.

After they had many bags that Crane insisted on carrying they left the mall. Addie couldn't help feeling guilty about having money spent on her, but Crane waved it off and stated that money was easy to get back for him.

Addie fell asleep on their way back to his home and in her unconscious state she could feel Crane carrying her up the stairs to her new room.

Addie woke up the next morning dazed and confused as to where she was. The memories of yesterday flooded into her head, and she sat up eagerly in a much improved mood. She noticed that her bags were sitting on the floor, so she set to work hanging them up in her spacious walk-in closet.

She changed into a pair of acid-wash skinny jeans, and a soft sweatshirt. She went out of her closet to assess the room she would be staying in from now on.

There was a large canopy bed in the far left corner that had a nice down comforter and soft pillows. There was also a flat-screen TV in the right corner with a very comfy sofa to sit in. It was furnished with all the necessities of a room, and all of the furniture was a soft brown color.

There was even a vanity stacked with makeup and a lovely little stool with pink velvet next to it. The dresser was made of a lovely sort of wood as well, and Addie set to work putting her pants inside of it.

The room had a fluffy brown carpet with pale pink walls, and a beautiful fan that spread across the ceiling like a flower.

The pink walls caught her attention the most. Crane had obviously been thinking about this for a while because she had a feeling he wouldn't want pink walls for himself.

Addie finished her work and went to the opposite side of the room to a shut door. She eased it open and flicked on a light. She gasped at the room in front of her.

It was obviously the bathroom, but it was so beautiful. The floor was a pearly, translucent color and was in small tiles. The walls were painted in many shades of blue that accented each other perfectly and swirled around to remind Addie of a wave of perfect sea water.

There was a large Jacuzzi in the left corner, and to her right was a shower she could most likely do dance routines in, topped off with benches to sit. The left was the sink which was made of the same material as the floor with a lovely silver nozzle.

Above the sink was a large mirror that could be opened which was stocked with so many creams, lotions, and face washes, Addie was sure she wouldn't use it all. Then there was all of the bubble baths and soaps and shampoos in the closet, and the fluffy towels.

She proceeded to brush her teeth, careful to not get water one the counters for fear of messing up this beautiful bathroom.

Addie felt like a princess. She couldn't get rid of the nagging feeling that this was all a dream, and that she would wake up and be at the mental hospital.

There was a soft knock on her door, so she flipped off the light and ran to it. She opened it only to see Crane smiling down at her.

"Hello, Addie. Do you like your room?" Crane asked with a smile.

"I love it. It's truly so beautiful-I can hardly believe it's mine. I feel like I'm in a dream, to be honest." Addie replied with a melancholic air.

"I assure you it's not. Come down and have breakfast with me. I've taken the day off work to help you adjust more to the new place."

Addie grinned and followed him down the stairs. Their day went by without fault and Addie could feel herself growing more comfortable with him by the moment.

At the end of dinner after Addie was completely full, Crane pulled out a bottle of wine.

"To celebrate us living together from now on." He said in explanation.

He poured a glass of wine for her, then for himself. He picked it up and looked at her with an unreadable expression. He held out his glass to her.

"Cheers."

Addie clinked her glass against his and wondered, finally with an air of excitement, what the future held for her.

-3-

So? Did you guys like it? Did you hate it? Please give me feedback. Reviews are lovely to get, they're almost better than birthday gifts! Private messages are also a little piece of joy. Feel free to share your opinions. I'm open to ideas for my story and opinions on how it's going. Enough of that, though. How did you like this chapter? I worked very hard on it and I'm quite pleased with how it turned out. How do you all feel about Addie and Crane living together now? I can assure you their relationship is going to pick up speed soon. Stick around for more Addie and Crane! Thank you for reading!


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